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• The U.S. Census Bureau is the federal government’s largest statistical agency.
• The Census Bureau conducts more than 130 censuses and surveys each year, including
• The Decennial Census – the once-a-decade population and housing count of the United States
• The American Community Survey – the ongoing annual survey of the nation’s population
• The Census of Governments – identifies the scope and nature of the nation's state and local government sector every 5 years. Data are obtained about how governments are organized, how many people they employ and payroll amounts, and the finances of governments. Government organization data include location, type, and characteristics of local governments.
• The Economic Census – the official five-year measure of American business. It provides information on business locations, the workforce, and trillions of dollars of sales by product and service type.  
• Our mission is to serve as the leading source of quality data about America’s people, places, and economy.

About the Census Bureau

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https://www.census.gov/

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• The nation’s most current, reliable, and accessible data source for local statistics on critical planning topics such as age, children, veterans, commuting, education, income, and employment
• Surveys 3.5 million households and informs over $675 billion of Federal government spending each year
• Covers 35+ topics, supports over 300 evidence-based Federal government uses, and produces 11 billion estimates each year
• Three key annual data releases:
• 1-year Estimates (for large populations)
• 1-year Supplemental Estimates (for small populations)
• 5-year Estimates (for very small populations)

The American Community Survey

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https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs

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American Community Survey (ACS) Content

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The ACS tells businesses about its potential customers:

• Are residents of a different age, sex, or family size in these locations?
• Have changes to employment or earnings changed local household budgets? (Maybe rent and utility costs are impacting budgets as well.)
• Are new residents part of a demographic that doesn’t drive?
• Do residents speak different languages? Does the dealership need signs or products promoted in other languages?
• Is a rise in computer and internet use providing opportunities for new ways to reach your customers?

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An automobile company wants to understand the different characteristics of communities around high performing and low performing dealerships.

What can the American Community Survey be used for?

�Market Research

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2013-2017 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates

Average Family Size by Census Tract in Clark County

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Key Census Geographic Areas

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(Economic program geographies, covered by CBB)

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libraries.usc.edu